Year 10 History: The World at War 

History is a journey. By exploring the past, we can better understand the world around us and the societies in which we live. If you enjoy playing with big ideas, solving mysteries, investigating the people and events that have shaped our human story and discovering why things are the way they are – then History is for you! 

History: The World at War is a semester-based unit and includes two main areas of study:

AREA OF STUDY ONE - World War II

Students will study the causes of World War II and the reasons why Australians enlisted to go to war along with the significant places Australians fought and their perspectives and experiences in these places. Students will also explore the European and Pacific theatres of World War Two and investigate the significant events and turning points of World War II and the nature of warfare, including the use of the atomic bomb. Finally, students analyse the effects of World War II, with a particular emphasis on the changes and continuities brought to the Australian home front and society.

AREA OF STUDY TWO - The Holocaust (1939 – 1945)

The Holocaust was a defining event in the 20th Century that teaches us powerful and enduring lessons about humanity in shaping our world today. The Holocaust is, at its core, a human story which makes us question how it was humanly possible. Students’ will study the Jewish Holocaust specifically and the role and rise of Adolf Hitler. Students will explore the deep- rooted history of antisemitism, the rise of the Nazi Party and the segregationist policies of the Nuremberg Laws, before investing the atrocities of the deportation, enslavement and murder of the European Jewish and other minorities. Students will analyse the impact of genocide of communities and explore the resilience and courage of those who survived.

• Historical investigations

• Case studies

• Research tasks

• Source analysis

• Group discussions

• Debates 

Year 10 History initially prepares students for further study in VCE History, VCE Politics or VCE Legal Studies. Students will gain a better understanding of Australia’s modern past and our place as a global citizen today.

Studying History is a great foundation for university degrees in History, Politics, Law, Archaeology, Sociology, Anthropology, Journalism and International Relations, as well as scope for a future career as an Historian, Politician, Lawyer, Journalist, Educator, Museum/Gallery Curator, or Archaeologist.

Miss Amanda Williams: awilliams@cmc.vic.edu.au